KosherEye.com

Adapted from Herbivoracious by Michael Natkin

These little chickpea cakes are versatile; you can serve them as an appetizer, a side dish on an entree plate, or as the protein-packed star of the show. They are somewhat like a pan-fried falafel, but without the benefit of a deep-fried crust, so we amp up the internal flavoring. Try them with Tomato Jam with Rosemary and Saffron* for a big flavor combination.

The basic recipe is vegetarian. You could use an egg-replacer if you’d like it to be vegan, and gluten–free breadcrumbs and alternative flour if you want it to be gluten–free.

I also think it would be good with the ratio of breadcrumbs to flour reversed, for a lighter consistency, but I haven’t tried it.

Ingredients:

3 cups cooked chickpeas or two 15 oz. cans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup green onions, very thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon minced rosemary leaves
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup homemade breadcrumbs 
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
Oil for shallow frying
Sea salt (ideally Maldon or fleur de sel) for finishing

Directions:

Combine the chickpeas, green onion, garlic, rosemary, kosher salt, lemon zest and juice, egg, flour, bread crumbs, and sesame seeds in a food processor and buzz until you have a fairly uniform mixture, but before it is completely pureed. We want some texture left. You should be able to form it into a ball that holds its shape. It should be neither crumbly nor a batter. Add liquid or breadcrumbs as necessary to find the right moisture level.

Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, over a medium-high flame. Take a golf-ball sized piece of dough, press it in your hands into a flattened 3-inch patty and place in the skillet. Repeat with as many as will fit comfortably. Fry on one side until golden brown, about 3 minutes, then flip and brown the other side, about 2 more minutes. Remove to paper towels and  continue frying the patties, adding more oil as necessary. Serve hot, sprinkled with a bit of sea salt.

Yield:  Makes 16 small fritters

*Tomato Jam With Rosemary and Saffron
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored, peeled and diced
1/2 cup white onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon rosemary leaves, very finely chopped
3/4 cup sugar (you could also try a little less)
3/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of chili flakes
Pinch of saffron, crumbled
A few grind of black pepper

Directions:

Combine the tomatoes,onions, lemon juice, rosemary, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Season with a pinch of hot red pepper flakes, a pinch of crumbled saffron, and a few grinds of black pepper. Bring to a simmer. (Plenty of liquid will come out of the tomatoes, so you don't need to add any water.) Adjust the heat and simmer until thick and syrupy, about 1 hour. Taste and adjust the seasonings. You can serve this right away, or keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It tastes best at room temperature.

Makes about 2 cups

Notes:

Recipes: Vegetarian, Fritters, Tomato Jam, Parve, Kosher